A rough sleeper came to the aid of a former soldier who collapsed outside Leicester Railway Station yesterday morning.

Epileptic Tony Cowley was heading to the station to get a train just before 8am when he suffered a fit and fell to the ground.

The 31-year-old from Ratby says he has no recollection of the incident but when he came round the homeless man was among a group of people who had been caring for him while he was unconscious awaiting paramedics.

Dad-of-five Tony said: “I was heading to Harlow to see my daughter and I was just outside the station when I had a fit.

“I don’t remember the paramedics getting there but there was a homeless guy who said he’d been helping me.

“He said he’d held on to my phone so it didn’t get lost and looked after me before the paramedics.

“A lot of bad things are said about homeless people but this guy saw I was in trouble and came to help me.

“He didn’t have to do it but he did. I’m very grateful to him.”

Tony Cowley from Ratby who collapsed outside Leicester Train Station and was looked after by a rough sleeper until the paramedics arrived. (Image: Mike Sewell)

Tony, who injured his face when he fell, is now recovering at home having called off his trip because of the seizure.

He said: “I spoke to the guy when I came round, I didn’t get his name but he was a middle-aged man who said he always slept around the station.

“When I’m feeling a bit better my wife and I are going to go back and try to find him with a bit of a hamper - some food, some clothes, some stuff that he might need.

"I just want to say a proper thank you to this person who is going through a rough patch but still found the time to come to the aid of a stranger.

“We want to see if there is anything we can do to help him turn things round and get him some accommodation.”